Lift Your Eyes {Arthur Morgan x Reader}

chapter 7

Enter, Pursued by a Memory

The next couple of days passed with little excitement or adrenaline. Considering you'd had one day filled with an unimaginable amount of trouble and danger - it felt strange to sink back to normality for a while.

It was a clear Friday morning, the mood in camp was cheerful as the sun was attempting to break through the wispy veil of clouds gliding over the horizon. It was perfectly calm weather to sit out and do some of the more mundane chores you found were part of your duties.

So, with a small basket of clothes for mending and a cup of coffee kindly made by Hosea, you sat alone by the cliff side in your favourite spot and began sewing away. It was a mindlessly easy task considering you were so practiced, and compared to all the excitement and danger you'd been through prior - the thought of doing this sort of work forever made you want to throw yourself from the cliff side. Perhaps it was the clearest sign that deep down, you knew what you wanted to do.

Birdsong was prevalent in the crisp air, as you sat back for a moment and reached into your pocket for the picture you'd be looking at more often than not recently. The one of your mother. Seeing her face again, captured in this moment - it had meant more to you than you could of ever imagined. Why your father kept these trinkets from you for so long made your stomach knot in rage. Ever since you recovered the items - you used your mother's hair clips on the daily, wore the pretty ring and carried that photograph in your pocket like a lucky charm. As if she was still looking out for you.

"Who's that?" The sound of Dutch's broad tones started you immensely, and in the shock you scrambled to keep hold of the picture and not drop it.

"Oh- Dutch!" You cried, laughing uncomfortably, "you startled me." Your cheeks were heating up, wondering how long he'd been stood there ... watching you slacking with your chore.

"I apologise my dear, that weren't my intention." The gang leader seemed to already of moved on from the moment. "I actually wanted to talk to you about some things ... if you're free...?"

You leapt up immediately, although he was asking about your availability it didn't seem wise to keep him waiting. And so, you followed the elegantly dressed Mr Van Der Linde into the privacy of his tent - feeling all eyes around camp boring into your skin as he closed the tent flaps the soonest moment he could.

"Don't look so startled, dear." He chuckled, and you made a mental note to relax your tensed figure that was clearly so easy to read."it ain't nothing bad. Just thought you'd want some privacy."

"Right, okay Dutch." You breathed out, forcing a state of relaxation that wasn't entirely authentic to the gang leader, taking a seat in the chair opposite him.

"It seems we're dealin' with a girl who sits better behind a gun than a needle n' thread." Dutch started, leaning back as he looked over at you with a sly smile, it was almost proud looking.